If your entryway is more cluttered than useful, it’s time to grab your tool belt and re-think your organization options. A traditional mudroom bench offers seating and storage, but they can be on the expensive side and their substantial size can eat into your living space. A functional art piece, like these chevron pattern-inspired hooks, is a cost-effective solution that takes advantage of unused space.
Warm cedar wood helps to add visual interest and texture while the arrow-shaped design motivates you on your way out. Hang your jacket, hat or bag on the brass cup hooks and use the embedded magnet as your one-stop spot for keys and dog leashes. Check out the full tutorial below to find out how you can bring order back to your entryway in a couple of hours with this easy DIY project.
Materials and Supplies
- (1) 3/4” X 6’ Cedar board
- (8) 2” Mending plates
- (12) ½” Flathead wood screws
- (3) 0.7” Neodymium magnets
- (3) 1½” Brass plated cup hooks
- (3) Large sawtooth hangers
- Natural wood filler
- Wood glue
- Super glue
- Circular saw
- Orbital sander
- 220-Grit sanding sheets
- Drill
- 7/8” Forstner bit
- 3/32” Drill bit
- Hammer
- Painters’ tape
- Angle finder
- Pencil
Step 1: Prep the Wood
When it comes to construction-grade wood, cedar is the clear winner for this project. It’s lightweight, can stand up to wear and tear and offers a lovely aromatic scent that can freshen up any mudroom. At the hardware store, you’ll want to take your time and find a straight, flat board with minimal knots.
Once you’ve chosen your wood, set your angle finder to 45 degrees and mark a straight line from the corner of the board edge. Duplicate the same angle nine inches apart and carefully cut out the parallelogram shape using your circular saw. Continue the same process until you have cut out six pieces. Use your orbital sander to clean up any rough edges and to smooth out the faces.
Step 2: Join the Pieces
For awkward shapes, I use painters tape (or masking tape) to provide even and consistent pressure for the gluing stage. First, arrange your wood pieces into sets of two for the chevron pattern. Add a strip of painter’s tape along the seam and across the boards. Flip the boards over and apply a generous amount of glue on the edges that are taped together. Wipe up any excess glue that leaks out to maintain a clean finish.
While the glue is drying, you can attach the mending plates across the seam with your flathead wood screws. This will help reinforce the glue as it dries and secure the arrow shape. Once the glue dries, apply a small amount of wood filler along the seam to fill in any gaps. An optional improvement is to apply a light coat of matte polyurethane or Danish oil to liven the wood tone.
Step 3: Add the Hardware
To embed the magnet, grab your drill and attach the 7/8-inch Forstner bit. Find the center of the bottom left corner of the arrow and carve out a circle on the backside. You’ll want to drill down just enough that the tip of the bit just reaches the front face of the arrow. Add a few drops of super glue and pop in one of the magnets. Push the magnet all the way down and let dry.
For the cup hooks, you’ll want to mark a spot about halfway across the front face of the board and slightly down from the seam. Use your drill with the 3/32-inch drill bit to pre-drill the hole and screw on the hook by hand until the flared base is flush with the wood and hook is pointing up.
Lastly, you’ll want to attach a sawtooth hanger to the back of each of the pieces so that future adjustments on the wall are a breeze. Mark a spot for the sawtooth hangers slightly off-center to counter-balance the weight of the wood. Tap the nails in with a hammer, taking turns on each side until they are all the way in. Hang the arrows in a chevron pattern on the wall and enjoy!
If you are inspired to do a similar project, you can see a wide selection of circular saws on Home Depot’s website.
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